Seizures, caused by abnormal discharges in the brain, can be life-threatening if they do not subside or are not effectively treated. Recurrent seizures or seizures that continue for more than 5 minutes without subsiding, are referred to as a condition called status epilepticus. Although epilepsy is the most common cause of seizures, they can also result from pyrexia (febrile seizures), trauma, stroke, surgery, brain tumours, illnesses, or medications. Not all seizures lead to epilepsy, although epilepsy is common in medical conditions, such as cerebral palsy, autism, and other developmental disabilities, as well as being genetically inherited.